NJ Palisades - Englewood Boat Basin to Ross Dock

Palisades Interstate Park
Bergen Co.
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
Shore Trail: White blaze
Carpenter Trail: Blue blaze
Long Path: Green blaze
Dyckman Hill Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 2:15 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.2 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Pros: Peaceful walk along river and good views
Cons: Urban views and noise from highway

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

I am almost completed with the gaps in completing the New Jersey Palisades trails. The Palisades form cliffs jutting about 500 feet above the Hudson River along the western side opposite New York City and Westchester. From Ft. Lee north, at the vicinity of the George Washington Bridge, there are two parallel trails stretching north many miles up to the New York State line. The Shore Trail goes alongside the river below the cliffs, and the Long Path is above the cliff, often traversing close to the edge. There are several connecting trails snaking their connecting the top to the bottom.

This hike was on a cold, dreary day. It has snowed on Friday night, and the snow was still pretty fresh from the day before. We parked at the bottom at Englewood Boat Basin, and took the Short Trail south, approaching ever closer towards the George Washington Bridge. At Ross Dock, a park and large picnic area very close to the Bridge, we skirted around the edge of the protrusion into the river, and then took the Carpenter Trail up the cliffs to the top, to the Long Path. We then headed north along the Long Path, and took a detour through Allison Park, a small park with nice landscaping alongside the cliff, and then continued back on the trail past St. Michael's college and then towards the Dyckman Hill Trail. We took the Dyckman Hill Trail back to the waterfront where our car was parked at the Englewood Boat Basin.

Map of the Route

George Washington Bridge from Englewood Boat Basin

Henry Hudson Bridge from Across the Hudson River

Zoomed in to Henry Hudson Bridge

Zoomed North to Yonkers and a Large Barge

Large Midtown Skyscrapers and the Bridge Mid-Span

Me at Englewood Boat Basin

Shore Trail Detailed Marker

George Washington Bridge and Manhattan from the Shore Path

Me on the Shore Path and Hudson River

GWB from Shore Path, Approaching Ross Dock

Middown Skyscrapers and GWB

Me on Ross Dock

Palisades from Ross Dock, Looking North

Cliff Drop Off Along Palisades, Facing North

Red Lighthouse at the Foot of the GWB

Bridge Span Above Midtown Skyscrapers

Manhattan Skyscrapers and Hudson Yards New Development

Carpenter Trail Terminus at Long Path

GWB from Carpenter Trail Terminus View

Ross Dock from Carpenter Trail Terminus

Me at the Above View

Allison Park Plaque

Dyckman Hill Trail Waterfalls 

Tunnel on the Dyckman Hill Trail